This application relates to hair extensions and method of attachment. More particularly to hair extensions where synthetic fibre hair blends can be heat styled with hot rollers, flat ironed or blow dried like a users natural hair unlike any other synthetic hair on the market. The fibre hair blends can also be put into a kit.
These human or synthetic fibre hair extensions provide great value to the consumer by providing a reasonably priced high quality human or synthetic fibre hair with human hair quality and many colors and color combinations. Other high temperature synthetic fibre hair currently on the market does not provide as wide a selection of color choices as the applicant. Most products on the market have only limited colors with extensions no longer than 16″. Applicants will be providing up to 10 colors with 6 color combinations being reversible and 18-20″ in length for at least 16 color possibilities. Various additional colors and color combinations may be added in the future. The human hair products are reversible also and come at least 20 colors and blends. No other products on the market provides a two color or reversible extension where there is one color on one side and a second color on the second side. This two sided color or reversible color will give an added value to the consumers where they receive two colors for the price of one.
Many women especially those that are post menopausal can experience hair thinning and loss. Applicants human or synthetic fibre hair extensions provide an affordable alternative without the use of potentially dangerous hair growth drugs or chemicals.
Applicant's product is the first hair extension kit made with human or synthetic fibre heat activated hair. The kits can contain 18″-20′″ long hair with double sided ¾″ medical grade tape applied to the extensions which are approximately 4″ wide. Obviously other lengths of hair, widths of tape and of hair extensions are anticipated. Also included in the kit can be a bottle of adhesive remover and a “before and after” proprietary clarifying shampoo. The shampoo is exclusive to applicants and recommended for use before the application of the hair extensions to remove oils from the natural hair and after removal of the extensions to remove adhesive and solvent (remover). The kit can also contain a CD-rom with an instructional video, printed application instructions containing styling pages showing different applications and styles that are possible.
Applicant's will be providing different levels of product depending upon the users need. It is anticipated that there will be a home kit for those who wish to install the extensions themselves and also packages and kitting that can be installed by professional hair stylists.
An additional kit can also contain replacement tape if a user wishes to remove the human or synthetic fibre hair extensions and use them again at a later date or if repositioning of existing extensions is desired. This kit could include the adhesive remover, shampoo, new tapes and instructions on how to re-apply the tapes to re-use the extensions. While the shampoo should be used in the natural hair before application of the human or synthetic fibre hair extensions, it can also be used to clean the adhesive remover from the human or synthetic fibre hair extensions before re-use.
The extensions can have one color or solid color of hair on both sides or a corresponding but different color on each side providing a reversible color effect. Alternatively, these hair extensions can have a blended color on both sides of the extensions or have a darker and lighter color on each side of the extension allowing a high light or low light type of application. When, for example, the dark side is applied out from the head, the strands of the light colored hair would show through from the side against the head and vice versa for a highlight and low light effect.
The highlight or low light kits can have human or synthetic fibre hair extensions with a lesser width, for example 2″ wide and 18″-20″ long and can also be provided with a weft or seam less. While the weft less or seam less human or synthetic fibre hair extensions are better able to be hidden in the users' natural hair, they are more fragile and best suited for application to the area on the top of the head as highlight pieces. Complete kits of coordinating colors can also be sold having the same color, blended color, co-ordinating color or some combination of colors for highlights, low lights or multi dimensional hair colors.
The applicant's have a uniquely blended color system in that the colors blend with each other up or down one or two levels in most cases, which enhances the color dimension of one's hair. These blended color options create unique color blends when used together, for example, using two or more individual kits together can create an entirely new color blend. This also eliminates the need in most cases for an exact match to the users hair. This choice of colors can also provide a highlight or low light effect without bleach or coloring which can damage the natural hair. Obviously, the extensions can be reversed to provide custom color choices.
The applicant's synthetic fibre hair extensions can be provided in a straight or wavy configuration. They benefit from the advantage that they can hold the last heat activation that was performed or have a memory. For example, if a synthetic fibre hair extension had hot rollers placed in the extension, the hair would maintain this wavy configuration even after washing and until it is subject to a new heat activation such as straightening.
Generally these human or synthetic fibre hairs are sewn together at a sewn end or weft. In one embodiment the weft is placed in between and located in the middle of the two pieces of double sided tape. In an alternative embodiment, the hair is placed between the two pieces and the weft placed above the two pieces of double sided tape. The weft is then cut off, such that the weft is removed and no weft is visible. The hair remains secured between the two pieces of double sided tape. Other methods of securing the hair together before removing the weft are also disclosed.
These weft less or as commonly known in the industry as “seam less”, human or synthetic fibre hair extensions can be used in the same manner as the human or synthetic fibre hair extensions which contain a weft. The advantage to the seam less extensions is that it lessens the likelihood of seeing or feeling the extensions in your hair with the weft removed. No other product on the market uses this weft less application done in this manner on human or synthetic fibre hair, all other weft or seam less extensions are used only on human hair with a different tape system.
Both the weft and weft less (seam less) human or synthetic fibre hair extensions can be provided with double sided tape tinted or colored to match or co-ordinate with the color of the fibre hair extension. Up until now, no other tape adhesive has ever been tinted to match the color of the hair extension. Background art currently uses a clear tape which may be visible in darker hair and uses a different tape application method and smaller tape size. To produce this tinted tape for hair extensions, clear tape is run through a rotary die press printing machine where ink is applied by rollers to the tape. Several passes may be required to get the correct shade or tint that matches or corresponds to the color of the hair extensions.
The application of these hair extensions is relatively simple to perform and can be applied without the use of messy, many times difficult to use liquids or chemicals. These extensions can be applied and removed in minutes and there is a significant reduction of damage to the users natural hair if used according to the directions as compared to other products on the market. Once applied, extensions can be kept in place for up to two months or more. The hair extensions can be washed, conditioned and styled with a flat iron, hot rollers or blown dry like the users' natural hair.
Hair extensions have been used in the hair styling industry for many years. Users and stylists have made use of products to enhance the length of a users hair or to add body or bulk to thinning hair. Many of the products on the market are made from synthetic hair, but these products up until now have not been able to be heat styled with a blow dryer, flat iron or hot rollers unlike the applicant's human or synthetic fibre hair which can be heat styled. Prior synthetic products would melt when a heat source was used.
Another background art hair extension product uses clip on extensions. These clip on extensions are available for the home or professional market. These extensions are not semi-permanent and must be re-applied daily, can fall out unexpectedly and are only feasible if the users hair is thick enough to cover the clip and can damage natural hair.
Many of the products on the market require the use of a liquid adhesive. This generally prevents the average consumer from the application of these extensions. Sewn in extensions, braided style extensions and heat applied extensions can be as damaging to natural hair as liquid adhesive applied with latex glue.
Some of the products on the market require the tape portion to be applied to the users' hair first and then the hair extensions to be placed on the already applied tape portion. Applicant's product and method is significantly easier to apply by the average consumer and thus is more secure for a longer period of time.
Other background methods use pre-tipped hair which must be tediously applied, uses chemicals and heat for application and removal and can cause significant damage to natural hair.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a human or synthetic fibre hair extension that can be applied and removed relatively easily. There is a need to have human or synthetic fibre hair extensions that will match the color of the users' hair. There is also a need to have human or synthetic fibre hair extensions that can be one color on one side and a related color or non-related color on the other side depending on the users' preference. There is also a need to have human or synthetic fibre hair extensions that can provide a high light or low light effect to a users' hair. There is a need to have a tinted tape matching the human or synthetic fibre hair extensions and better blend with the users natural hair.